


Power,Wisdom and Courage

by ErisHDiscordia, The_Inheritor



Series: The Legend of Zelda: The Eternal Chain - Act 1 [3]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Courage, Gen, The Triforce, Wisdom, power
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:53:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25404916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErisHDiscordia/pseuds/ErisHDiscordia, https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Inheritor/pseuds/The_Inheritor
Summary: Zelda explains to Ganondorf the meanings of the Tri-force sigil on his hand...
Relationships: Ganondorf & Link (Legend of Zelda), Ganondorf & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Twilight & Wild (Linked Universe)
Series: The Legend of Zelda: The Eternal Chain - Act 1 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1769323
Kudos: 52





	Power,Wisdom and Courage

**Author's Note:**

> So this one went through about 15 re-writes before it was even good enough in my eyes to send off to Eris for approval. I'm sorry to anyone who has been waiting for this, it's just that writing has become more and more difficult as of late...  
> ...I hope this is up to the standard of the previous parts.

**03\. POWER, WISDOM AND COURAGE  
**

"We all have one." Zelda says, reaching out her hand and taking his to inspect the glowing sigil on the back. "You, Link and myself."

Ganondorf looks over his shoulder at Link who raises his left hand, on the back of his gauntlet there it was. He looked much better with rest, his eyes were less punctuated by dark rings, and he'd had a shave, all those whiskers turned to stubble rather hastily. Ganondorf could teach him a thing or two about a razor. "Why us?"

"Throughout history the Goddess has chosen to bestow the Tri-Forces of Power, Wisdom and Courage onto those deemed worthy during any particular cycle." she explains, directing his attention back to her. "It's written down in many of the texts that she enjoys having it run in blood-lines, inherited from one person to the next, that sort of thing."

Her gaze shifts upwards to him. "Tell me...who were your parents?"

"They were..." Ganondorf stops himself mid-sentence. "...they weren't important. My Mother was part of the Gerudo Nobility and my Father...well...that's a different story."

"Perhaps it skipped a few generations before choosing you." the Princess says, her thumb running gently across the back of his hand. "You wouldn't have it if it weren't for Link and myself...and we wouldn't have it if it weren't for you."

"Speaking of Link..." Ganondorf clears his throat, as if to make it obvious to the other Hylian in the room that he was talking about him. Not that he wasn't already aware of that. "Impa tells me you were worried about the two of us..."

"Have you spoken to him since we got here?" she asks, her head tilting ever-so-slightly. She seemed transfixed by the sigil on the back of his hand. He didn't dare remove it from her grasp. Link was standing in the room, watching the pair of them as they spoke. Despite this, he didn't comment on being mentioned, he didn't even seem invested. Perhaps he was just tired still...they all were. Zelda more than the two of them.

"He came to speak with me a short time after we arrived." Ganondorf nods. "From what little I could gather of our conversation, he doesn't trust me."

He might as well be upfront. He thought Link would respect that.

"Then I am still worried." Zelda says next, a small, yet concerned smile appearing on her face. She lets go of his hand, glancing at her Champion who shifts where he's standing. "I don't want this to become a problem between you two...You need to understand that you're in this together. You are friends."

"You can't force a person who has already decided they don't trust someone to suddenly like them." Ganondorf shakes his head gently. "As much as I wish the world worked that way sometimes...you really can't."

"Which is precisely why I am so concerned." Zelda replies. "We need to work together, we need to have each others back."

She takes in a rather deep, collecting breath, her gaze shifting to the Hylian in question. He perks up as he meets her gaze. "Sorry? Did you say something?"

"I want you two to talk to one another at some point." the Princess instructs, not ignorant to the shift in his expression. "And I mean a proper conversation...come to some sort of resolution over this...tension that has been present since we left Castle Town."

"I'll talk." Link replies with a curt nod. "But I can't promise him...or yourself...that it will go anywhere."

"Have you tried not being stubborn?" Ganondorf turns where he's standing to cast an incredulous eye over him. "What's so difficult about it for you?"

"Maybe because there's this obstacle getting in my way, and intruding in my thoughts." Link returns, his eyes hardening some. 

"Exactly how am I getting in your way, Link?" the Gerudo tilts his head, not out of anger, but out of genuine curiosity. "You've done nothing but avoid me or grill me since we got here."

"I don't what your intentions are, with the Princess...or with this little arrangement we have going here as a whole." Link admits. "I don't like not knowing, you're hard to read...it's like every time I look at you, you are putting up walls to avoid any real scrutiny."

"I was farted out of the Calamity, just the same as she was." Ganondorf huffs a sigh, gesturing first at himself then at Zelda. The Princess was silent, but she was observing the two of them carefully, trying to understand exactly what the source of their tension was. "I don't think you need to be a Shiekah Engineer to know what my intentions are."

"What are they?" Link asks, attempting to stump him...inevitably it doesn't work.

"The same as yours..." Ganondorf shrugs. "I don't have clue...not right now anyway."

"Ganondorf is not an obstacle, or some force that's impeding you...Link." the Princess finally speaks. "He's in the same boat as us, and I will vouch for him personally every time this matter is brought up. You weren't inside the Calamity for a hundred years...I was. I know him."

She sighs. "And I think you should take the time to know him too..."

"Yeah..." Link folds his arms, giving the Gerudo a passive look that hid many things. "I guess we shall see."

"Have you slept much since we returned?" Zelda suddenly asks.

"Plenty." Link shrugs. "What of it?"

"I think you need a break."

"I'll rest when I'm dead."

"Only fools follow that line of thought." the Princess chuckles, standing up and walking over to him with little effort. She'd regained allot of her strength surprisingly quickly, something that Ganondorf was amazed and perplexed by. She stops before him, taking a hold of his left hand. "Perhaps you could get away from all this, head back to your place in Hateno, or...visit the Domain."

"You know I'd only end up getting into more trouble along the way." Link says with a smirk, this one was genuine and nothing like the others ones Ganondorf had seen. "I can't help myself."

Zelda levels a stare at him, one that a mother would give her wayward child. "Link..."

"Okay." the Champion's shoulders seem to sag as he concedes, defeat entering his tone. "I'll...try and relax."

"We're not going anywhere. Not yet." Zelda states. "Perhaps unwinding may be the solution to this issue you both have."

Without another word, she makes her way out of the room. Link let's out a deep exhale through his nose. His eyes meet Ganondorf who just shrugs. He follows her almost immediately after.

...

Later that night, Ganondorf is pacing the all-to-short hallways of Impa's house, his thoughts driving him and compelling him in different, seemingly random directions. He missed Gerudo Town at times like this, one could walk for hours on end without interruption. There was always some passageway or hallway one could use to get around.

Paya had been in and out of the various rooms, tending to her grandmother and the Princess respectively. She was such a patient young thing, and one of the most overly apologetic people he'd ever had the fortune of encountering.

Each time she came out of a room in his path, she'd apologize and step to the side, letting him pass before continuing on her way. It was sweet, even after nearly an hour she was still excusing herself every time she needed to butt past into one of the rooms.

Eventually even she disappeared, presumably to her own room for some much needed rest. It had been a busy couple of days in Kakariko, though one wouldn't have guessed it walking through the village. At all times it was peaceful, tranquil, quiet...

...and Ganondorf hated that. He wasn't sure why. It was as if his ears had become accustomed to the swirling, roaring sounds of the Calamity, he'd known them for so long, being trapped inside the beast. The quiet now seemed off and out of place. 

Had it really been a hundred years? If so, how was he still alive? How was Zelda still alive? Link was at the very least explainable, he'd been in the Shrine of Resurrection, a piece of technology which had both confused and intrigued Ganondorf from the moment he heard about it. Perhaps he'd go out and find it one day...surely Link had it's location on that slate of his.

Speaking of...

Through the silence he could make out the sound of the slate being used in one of the rooms. It would seem that Link was able to stay put for the night, that didn't however mean he slept...

...nevermind him. Ganondorf continues to pace, his footsteps causing the floorboard to creak as he goes.

...

In one of the rooms, Link finds himself sitting on the bed he'd been given, a very content and sleepy wolf curled up at his feet. He's staring at the Shiekah Slate in his hand, it's screen light straining his eyes but not so bad that he has to turn it off.

He could hear Ganondorf pacing outside the room, muttering to himself occasionally in a language he didn't understand. He was almost certain he remembered Urbosa speaking to him in her native tongue back in the day...and he understood her then. Memory loss was a bitch.

Reaching up to his face, he rubs at his chin. It felt like sandpaper against his hand. He'd never admit it openly, but he was absolutely exhausted, more so than he'd ever been in his second life. That being said he just couldn't sleep right now...there was something seemingly impossible about such a notion...it was like his mind and body weren't ready to rest yet despite his best efforts at the Princess' request.

At least right now he had company. His wolf friend had been with him from basically day one. And had only been absent a couple of times. He often disappeared when he visited Zora's Domain, but would reappear just as soon as he left. He'd find him sitting on the road as if he were waiting for him.

He looks down at the canid, his mind wondering for a moment. What had compelled this creature, one whom he expected to tear him to bloody ribbons the second he saw it too follow him. He never asked, he never coaxed, though to be honest he didn't speak wolf...and he wasn't aware of anyone who could.

His companion had been with him through some of the hardest and most trying times of his journey. From that rainy morning those Lizalfos assaulted his encampment on the edge of the Zoran River, to that night on the slopes of Death Mountain where it all became too much for him and he broke down.

Whenever he was down, or lost in himself to some way, he'd be brought out of it by a strange cold sensation pressing against his hand, or his face. He'd look in the direction of it and see the wolf sitting there, it's ears perked up and it's head tilted expectantly, like it was waiting for him to tell all that was on his mind.

"Why do you follow me?" he finds himself asking, his voice quiet and subdued. "What did you see in me?"

The wolf shifts slightly, rolling over onto it's back. He can't help but smile at that. If there was one thing that he'd learned about his companion during his travels it was that he enjoyed belly rubs. Reaching down he ruffles a hand through it's fur.

A light rumble bubbles out as a confused growl, and it opens his eyes...only for it's tail to start wagging a second later. Almost immediately it rolls onto it's paws and jumps up onto the bed next to him. 

Link let's out a quiet laugh as it settles a short distance from him on the bed and stares at him. "...you're always looking out for me, huh?"

Usually there would be a bark to the affirmative, but this time there was just a content whine. Without another word, Link shifts around on the bed and lays back, his head coming to rest on it's back. He'd slept like this quite a few times, increasingly so when he started experiencing bad dreams.

He couldn't understand to this day why the canid followed him, why it chose to stick around and accompany him...but he wasn't complaining either. Part of him would be lost without it...

...

**Author's Note:**

> See you all in the next one.  
> Take care out there, and be well.


End file.
